Metallic post and fastener for wire fences



'(No Model.)

E. P. SAXTON. METALLIG POST AND FASTENER FOR WIRE FENGES.

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I UNITE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELWIN F. SAXTON, OF ST. JOSEPH, MISSOURI.

METALLIC POST AND FAST ENER FOR WIRE FENCES.

SPEGIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 523,799. dated July 31, 1894. Application filed March 1,1894. Serial No. 501,988. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ELW'IN F. SAXTON, of St. Joseph, in the county of Buchanan and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Metallic Posts and Fasteners for Wire Fences; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in posts or supports for wire fences, and the object of my invention is to produce a metal post which will be, at the same time, extremely cheap in cost; light, strong, durable and easily adjusted, and which can be adapted to, and used for any kind of a wire fence.

I am awarethat heretofore metal posts have been used for wire fences, but, so faras I know, they have been cast or wrought solid,

either round or square, and with no provis-- ion for proper and secure anchorage. My invention is designed to remedy these defects and by it I obtain a post which contains less than one half the weight of metal required by a solid post of the same dimensions, while I also obtain greater resistance to lateral or horizontal pressure, as well as a strong anchorage, together with a capacity for being driven into any ordinary soil, thus dispensing with the cost and labor of excavating post holes.

, My invention is fully illustrated in the annexed drawings, wherein similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts of my invention.

. In the drawings-Figure 1 is a view of the rear or convex side of my improved post; that is to say, of the side to which the wires are attached. In this view are also shown the slotted openings by means of which wires are attached to the post. Fig. 2 is a front view of said post; that is to say, of the concave side thereof. Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary section on the line m, m of Fig. 2, showing also the slotted openings for the attachment of wires with my improved staple fastener. Fig. 4 is a detail view enlarged of the staple shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a cross-section enlarged along the line as as of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a cross-section of said post' along the line 3 y of Fig. 1. Fig. 7 is a cross-section along the line z z of Fig. 1. Fig. 8 is a cross-section along the line n n of Fig. 1. I v

A represents the convex or rear elevation of one of my improved metallic posts. Said post maybe constructed of any proper metal, and is so formed that it tapers in exact proportion from the top to the bottom of the same, and it is provided with a number of slotted openings a arranged longitudinally along the same, and adapted to receive the staples hereinafter described for attaching wires to said post. It will be observed, by reference to Fig. 5, which is a cross-section to said post, that the same is strongly curved, forming, in fact, the half of a tube; and also, that the greatest thickness of metal is at the center line of said post, decreasing in thickness on either side.

It has been found that a' hollow pillar or pipe, possesses as much strength in all respects as a solid column of the same material, and that a post or pillar consisting of one half of a cylinder, possesses powers of resistance as against lateral or horizontal pressure, quite as great as if constructed solid: and especially is this the case when the diameter of such post increases from the smaller'to the larger end. It is on this principle, to wit: of light ness and strength, that my improved post is constructed.

I provide two semi-circular wings or flanges, B and B, cast or wrought integral with the post A (see Figs. 6, 7, and 8, where said wings are shown in cross-section at diiferent points). It will be observed by reference to the drawings, that the curve of the flanges, or wings B and B is in the reverse direction to the curve of the post A. It will also be observed that whereas the breadth of the said post A increases from the top to the bottom thereof,

the breadth of the said wings or flanges decreases from the top to the bottom thereof, (see particularly Figs. 6, 7 and 8.) The bottom of said post and of its flanges or Wings, and the side edges of these wings are made with a comparatively thin edge, so that said post may, by placing a proper bufier over the top of said flanges, be driven into an ordinary soil, the intention being that said post shall IOO be driven into the earth until the top of said flanges B and B shall be flush with the top of the soil. For attaching wires to said post, I provide a metallic staple O, the arms of which are of unequal length, as shown in Fig. 4. This staple-C is adapted to inclose a wire, as shown, to be attached to said post: its arms pass through the slotted opening a, and are clinched, as shown in Fig. 3. The arms of said staple are made of unequal length, for the reason that it has been found that staples so constructed are more easily clinched than when the arms are of equal length.

I claim- 7 1. A metallic post for wire fences, curved in cross-section and of increasing breadth from top to bottom and having projecting laterally from that portion which assists to anchor and support it in the ground, two curved wings, one each side of such post,but having their curves in a direction the reverse of that of the central or main body of the post.

- 2. A metallic post for wire fences, curved in cross-section and widening from its top to its bottom, and having its greatest thickness of metal in the center of such curve, and provided with curved flanges or wings to anchor the post in the ground the curves of such flanges being in a direction the reverse of that of the post, and having said curves widening from the bottom to the top, substantially as and for the purposes described.

3. A metallic post for wire fences, consisting of the curved post A, having integral therewith the curved flanges or wings B and B, the said curves being in a direction the reverse of that of the post A, and said curved wings narrowing from the top toward the bottom, said post having longitudinal slots therein adapted to receive staples suitable for securing fence wire to said post, substantially as and forthe purposes described.

4. The curved post A, having integral therewith the wings or flanges B and B each curved in the direction the reverse of the main body of the post as set forth, and thinned at their bottom and at their side edges, substantially as and for the purpose described.

ELWIN F. SAXTON.

Witnesses:

VINTON PIKE, JOSEPH MORTON. I 

